The Baker They Need, Not The Baker They Deserve

(I work as a baker. Times and management have changed, and the store has lost almost all of its useful employees. My friend who is the shift leader finds himself understaffed one day and I give him permission to call me out to help on the line if they ever get swamped.)

Friend: “Yo, [My Name]. I need you for a bit. The line is to the door and [Coworker] is only getting one for every five customers I help.”

Me: “All right. Get on a register and let’s do this.”

(I move at top speed, pretty much dancing and spinning around the work area as I help three or more customers at a time. My friend gets on register to help ring them out faster and to give me more clear space to work. He is describing the events back to me later.)

Friend: “Dude! It was epic! You were freaking spinning back and forth grabbing different items. You decimated the rush single handedly! It was like one of those samurai animes: some big eight-headed dragon of a ‘customer monster’ attacks, and the hero dashes past… then a breeze wafts by and all the heads pop off. You’re like the wind!”

Me: “I did feel like I was in the zone there for a bit. It felt like I was dancing.”

Friend: “Oh, you weren’t subtle about it either. One customer was staring at you funny and asked me, ‘What exactly is he doing?’ I just stared her in the eye and told her, deadpan, ‘Exactly what I need him to!'”